Judo resources

About Judo

What is Judo?

Learning Judo can provide many different benefits to the practioner. For some it is a “martial art”, for others, a sport and for still others it is a great means of enhancing physical and personal strength, courage and discipline for themselves or their children. We at Universal Judo consider Judo to be one of the best forms of physical education. In fact, in its original format, Jigoro Kano’s stated main goal was to create a comprehensive method of physical education for an evolving, modern society. After decades of international expansion, Judo became an Olympic sport in 1964.

What's the difference between Judo and the other arts?

In Judo you will learn skills that enable you to throw opponents to the ground. You will also learn ground work skills that will include immobilization, choking and arm bar techniques. Theses skills together set Judo apart from other martial arts, including jujitsu and wrestling. There are no kick-y, punch-y elements to Judo at all.

How popular is Judo?

Today, Judo is practiced for fun, fitness, recreation, self-defense and competition throughout the world by millions of people. Judo has found its way into the school systems of many European and Asian countries. At the Olympic level, Judo's popularity is so great that it's usually the first sport to completely sell out.

Why should I learn Judo instead of another art?

Judo is a better form of physical education, especially for children. Judo training is tougher, so your body is better prepared mentally and physically to withstand the rigors of an assault. It's more complete because it has standing and ground fighting skills. It provides a better sense of true accomplishments because there is no "make believe" in its training. It's an excellent sport to cross-train in because it offers great development in balance, kinesthetic awareness, coordination and ruggedness.

Why is Universal Judo San Antonio's Premier Judo Training Center?

Our combination of expert coaching, modern training methods, safe training facilities, competition results and great family environment make us the "Premier Judo Training Center" in San Antonio.

In the competition arena, Universal Judo’s Head Coach has produced more than 3,500 tournament medalists from local to Olympic levels and has produced National placewinners in each of the last FIVE decades.